Can-holder



(No Model.)

.M. E. RICE.

CAN HOLDER. v I

' No. 419,560. v v Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

a a I wdmoac UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY E. RICE, OF WESTGARDNER, MAssACHUsETTs.

CAN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,560, dated January 14, 1890. Application filed September 19, 1889. Serial No. 324,417. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY E. RICE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at WVest Gardner, in the county of WVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (Jan- Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is a device for handling cans during canning operations; and it consists in the improved construction hereinafter described and set forth, whereby a simple and efficient arrangement is provided for the purpose stated.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can-holder constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same closed; and Fig. 2 is a View showing the same open.

The improved Can-holder consists of two sect-ions. made of wire and each comprising a semi-cylindrical frame A, centrally from which is extension B, forming a handle. The outer edges of each ofsaid frames A consist of wires, arranged as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, in which it will be seen that a wire is bent to form the front, bottom, and top portions 1 2 3, while an intermediate wire is bent parallel with the portions 2 3 to present intermediate braces, while it is extended at its front to form the operating-handle. The front portion 1 of each section is bent to form bearings 5 for the intermediate wire at the point where it is bent and extended to form the handle. Intermediate wires 6 7 are arranged parallel with the wire 1, and are looped around the portions 2 3 and intermediate parallel wires, so as to rigidly connect and brace the several'parts.

The rear free ends of the portions 2 3 and intermediate parallel wires are each bent to form hooks 8, which are pivotally connected to the other hook of the corresponding part by means of a loop 9. At one end each section has a wire 10 arranged diagonally from near the front to the rear, which, when said sections come together, form the bottom or supporting means of the contents of the cylinder formed by the sections.

From the foregoing it will be quite clear that in practice, when a can is to be moved, the sections are spread or separated with the bottom wires upward. The handles are then operated to close the sections upon the can, which will be grasped tolift the can, and the entire device, together with the can, is inverted, so that the can can drop upon and be supported by the bottom wires. WVhen the can is to be deposited, the device is rested upon the table or other surface upon which it is to rest and the sect-ions separated, so as to withdraw the bottom wires from beneath the can to leave the latter standing.

The device, besides being highly serviceable and efficient, is light and inexpensive and occupies a comparatively small space.

I claim In a device for holding cans, the combina- 

